5 Things You Need to Know About Quilting Rulers

One of our favorite tools of all time is the infamous quilting ruler. It’s hard to imagine how quilters from the past could make such precises quilts with only cardboard templates and scissors! We much prefer acrylic rulers and rotary cutters. But it can be difficult to keep up with all the new tools available. That’s why we’ve created our list of 5 things you need to know about your quilting rulers.

Before you even get started using a quilting ruler, you need to choose your ruler! But how do you know which one is right for you? Rulers are available for every type of quilting possible, so making a choice can be rather intimidating. Luckily, we’ve written an entire article on the subject to help make that decision easier!

Ok, so you’ve bought your rulers, but now you’re looking for more. There are tons of accessories that you can purchase for your rulers to make quilting as efficient as possible. Some of the most popular accessories are grippers and stickers. Acrylic rulers can be slippery, and these tools help you keep your rulers in place for precise quilting.

In addition to your standard quilting rulers, you may be interested in some more specific tools. An Add –Enough ruler is great for paper piecing, since you need to cut large pieces of fabric. Learn how to use this handy tool in this informative video.

Now you’ve got your rulers, you’ve got your accessories, but… you don’t know what to do with your ruler. First and foremost, you need to know where to properly place your ruler. National Quilters Circle has answered this common question “I have often wondered whether the line on a ruler should sit ON the edge or BESIDE the edge of the fabric?” in our Ask an Expert series.

The last important thing to understand about your quilting rulers are the variety of lines on them. What do the hash and diagonal lines mean? How do I use them in my quilt? We answer all your questions about grid lines for several types of rulers in this video by Heather Thomas.